CITU's 3-day protest against Centre ends in Shimla

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], November 27 : The three-day mass protest under the banner of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and Himachal Kisan Sabha against the anti-labor, farmer, employee, and public policies of the central government at the centre concluded in Chaura Maidan, Shimla.
"Thousands of labourers and farmers from Himachal Pradesh participated in the three-day mass protest. On the third day of the mass protest, hundreds of outsourced and contract labourers from hospitals, municipal corporations, Panbijli projects, hotels, tourist guides, rehri fadi vendors, Vishal Megamart, Kalibari, and Sahib Society labourers from across the state participated," as per a CITU press note.
On the third day of the mass protest, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) National Secretary Dr Kashmir Thakur, State President Vijendra Mehra, General Secretary Prem Gautam, Kisan Sabha State President Kuldeep Singh Tanwar, Dr Onkar Shade, Jagat Ram, Kuldeep Dogra, Ajay Dulata, Balk Ram, Mohit Verma, Om Dutt Sharma, Daljit Singh, Rakesh Thakur, Sudesh, Narendra, Amit, Ranjit, Jagmohan Thakur, Dr Rajendra Chauhan, Dr Vijay Kaushal, Ranjiv Kuthiyala, Vivek Kashyap, Ram Prakash, Ram Singh, Mahesh Verma, Mehr Singh Pal, Anil Kaushal, Surendra Kumar, Om Prakash, Pala Ram, Naresh, Balbir, Gurudev, Rajendra, Sunil, Ajay, Krishna Pal, etc. were present.
"CITU State President Vijendra Mehra and General Secretary Prem Gautam said that this three-day mass protest took place to demand the declaration of a minimum wage of Rs 26,000 for laborers, the abolition of four anti-labor codes, providing minimum support price to farmers, implementation of the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission, providing 200 days of work at a wage of 375 rupees per day in MGNREGA along with expansion in urban areas, registration and financial benefits in the Labor Welfare Board for MGNREGA, construction and BRO laborers, policy-making for outsourced employees, regularizing Sahib employees, reinstating the dismissed Covid employees, stopping heavy inflation, regularizing scheme employees, stopping the privatization of public enterprises, farmer loan waiver, unemployment, inflation, withdrawal of the smart meter scheme, etc," the note stated.
CITU State President Vijendra Mehra and General Secretary Prem Gautam said that due to the neoliberal and capitalist-oriented policies of the Modi government at the centre, the crisis of unemployment, poverty, inequality, and livelihood is increasing.
Poverty and hunger are increasing due to unemployment and inflation. The increasing inflation due to the weakening of the public distribution system has broken the backs of the people. There is a significant increase in the prices of petrol, diesel, cooking gas, and food items.
"CITU State President Vijendra Mehra and General Secretary Prem Gautam demanded to ensure a minimum wage of Rs 26,000 per month and pension for all workers; abolish the four anti-labor codes and the Electricity Amendment Bill, stop the contract, part-time, multi-purpose, multi-task, temporary, casual, fixed-term, contractor system and outsource system and regularize all these laborers, reinstate the hundreds of COVID employees who have been dismissed from jobs, provide 200 days of work at a wage of Rs 375 per day in MGNREGA, along with expansion in urban areas; and provide registration and financial benefits in the Labour Welfare Board for MGNREGA, construction and BRO labourers," the press note stated.
"CITU State President Vijendra Mehra and General Secretary Prem Gautam also demanded to stop the privatisation and disinvestment of public enterprises, end the National Monetization Pipeline and Agnipath scheme, stop inflation and strengthen the ration system in depots and make it universal, regularise all scheme workers, including Anganwadi, Mid Day Meal, and Asha workers, stop the privatisation of BRO and regularise BRO labourers, implement the Street Vendors Act for vendors, and take back the anti-labor and owner-opposed changes in the Motor Vehicle Act," as per the press note.